


I Need You to Stay

by AmIDreamingDead



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Dorks, Fluff, Gen, Josh is Sad, Just two boys, M/M, josh is actually adorable though, josh is scared, platonic, take it what ever way you want though, this isn't really romantic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-21
Updated: 2016-04-21
Packaged: 2018-06-03 16:32:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6618028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmIDreamingDead/pseuds/AmIDreamingDead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Josh is breaking down and Tyler can't do anything to stop it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Need You to Stay

**Author's Note:**

> So this is based off of the Japanese interview they did when Josh looked scared out of his mind. I really can never tell exactly what he's feeling, but based off his body language, he was experiencing what I deal with on a daily basis (it sucks).
> 
> This is basically my emotions put into Josh, although I don't have a Tyler to support me :'(, because I feel like sometimes Joshie doesn't get enough love and we sometimes forget that Tyler isn't the only one who struggles (I love Ty just as much though)

They finished performing "Stressed Out" to cheers and applause from their Japanese interviewers and translators. Tyler stood up off his piano and walked over to stand in front of the camera. Josh climbed down from his drum kit, the musical high he had been experiencing dying rapidly off, and walked to stand next to Tyler, panic immediately setting in. His chest felt tight and he couldn't breathe.

Josh didn't like interviews. Sometimes he was able to just talk to Tyler like they were by themselves and were just having a conversation and the interviewers super relaxed but this wasn't one of those times. They were standing in front of a camera surrounded by a group of formal looking strangers with a huge crew watching intently from behind the camera with even more people standing off to the side listening intently to everything. All eyes were on them in a huge professional studio instead of the small rooms Josh and Tyler were used to, in a country thousands of miles from home with a language they knew very little about.

Josh looked around the room throughout the interview, focusing on different points on the set, avoiding making eye contact with everyone, making occasional comments when prompted by Tyler, not being able to concentrate that well. He was so scared he honestly felt crying, shifting his feet around nervously, and staring at his hands.

Tyler noticed how petrified and nervous Josh was but they didn't have much time left, only a couple of minutes and there wasn't a lot Tyler could do given their situation and the people they were with. Josh's anxiety tended to flare up pretty badly during interviews and this one was particularly new and isolated in comparison with what they were used to.

Josh put his hand to his mouth, showing other nervous ticks, trying really hard not to shake. He felt like he was going to have a panic attack or pass out his emotions were so intense. Everything was blurry. When he had to talk he stumbled over his words, only being able to say short sentences. 

Finally after what seemed like a millennium, the interview ended, the translators thanked them for their time and then Tyler and Josh's crew came on to clear up their equipment.

"You okay, buddy?" Mark asked, in a concerned voice. He had been with the rest of the crew behind the scenes and noticed quickly that Josh wasn't himself, having known him and Tyler for years. He and Tyler stared in worry at Josh who was looking at his shoes, his shoulders hunched over in fear and embarrassment, looking like a shy scared child who had lost his parents.

"Y- yeah." He stuttered quietly, blinking at the floor, refusing to look at them. Tyler could tell he was close to tears. "Can we please leave now?" 

"Of course we can." Tyler smiled sympathetically, placing a hand on his back, before turning to Mark. "I'm going to take Josh out to the bus."

Mark nodded and went to inform the others and help with clearing up equipment as Tyler wrapped an arm around Josh's waist to support him in and they walked out of the building towards the bus. Once they were out of the building and out of earshot, Josh started violently shaking unable to control himself any longer, gritting his teeth as he tried to stop the relentless silent tears running down his cheeks. He only felt comfortable with Tyler seeing him like this since each had seen the other at his lowest points, but still hated himself for being this way and not being able to control his own emotions.

"Hey, Josh." Tyler cooed, wiping tears off his face with his thumb, standing outside the entrance to the bus. "It's okay, you're okay."

But it's extremely difficult to help someone feel okay with irrational feelings of fear and self loathing, Tyler knew better than anyone.

They climbed onto the empty bus and up to where their bunks were. Josh sat down on his bed in silence. Tyler sat next to him. He looked at his best friend's tear tracked face and embraced him, wanting all his fear and sadness to disappear.

"You're okay, Joshie, you're okay." He said softly, a hand stroking his fading red hair. "I'm here and you're okay."

Tyler felt Josh's body shaking with sobs, not being able to begin to imagine how scary things like that were for him. He lay back against the wall of the bunk, with Josh lying curled up against his chest. Tyler continued to stroke his hair with one hand and kept the other around his waist. After the crew had come back and they started moving to their next destination, Josh's panic-stricken, emotional thoughts had worn him out. Tyler felt him begin to calm down and, presumably because of the jetlag, fall asleep. It was okay since Markhad informed Tyler that they had quite a few hours until they arrived at their next destination and Tyler didn't mind sitting here with Josh, as he had lost count of the number of times Josh had done so for him.

Josh's body finally completely relaxed and Tyler heard light snoring, confirming what he already thought, and breathed a sigh of relief. It broke his heart seeing his usually happy friend like that but he couldn't help but feel responsible. He should've known better than to subject Josh to such a new, vulnerable and crowded room full of people they knew nothing about and couldn't even talk to properly. He should've realised that Josh wouldn't be okay with it. 

Josh had particular reputation by people who have not spoken to him and judged him based on how he looked. People who didn't know him assumed that because of the piercings, gauges, tattoos and dyed hair, he was a tough, intimidating or unpleasant person and that drove Tyler crazy. He knew that if they had a five minute conversation with Josh, they would find out that he was all fluff. The reality was that Josh Dun was really just a kind, compassionate, nervous dork and one of the sweetest, most humble people Tyler had ever met, if not the most and that wasn't an exaggeration in the slightest. In fact, Tyler felt as if it was an understatement. Tyler just sat there with a sleeping Josh in his arms, crazy thoughts flying around his brain. 

It seemed like not long later, but in reality it was two hours later and Tyler had been lost in his twisted up, fast paced thoughts, when he felt Josh begin to stir, and looked down at his sleepy face as he yawned quietly, still lying against Tyler.

"Hey." Tyler said softly. Josh smiled sleepily up at him. "You okay now?"

Josh's eyes widened as he suddenly remembered what had happened. 

"Oh my gosh." He winced, hiding his face in his hands. "I'm so sorry, I'm such an idiot."

"Joshua William Dun." Tyler said sternly, becoming a little angry at that. "You are not an idiot. Don't ever say that again. It's not your fault you feel like that." He gently pulled Josh's hands away from his eyes and held his face in his hands.

"Just promise me something." Tyler asked those sad brown eyes. "Next time, tell me if you don't feel comfortable in an interview, or like, anything in public."

The brown eyes nodded but couldn't help but flicker with shame and doubt. Tyler picked up on that immediately.

"Hey, look at me." Tyler said in the quietest voice he could. "You have nothing to be ashamed of."

Josh buried his face in Tyler's chest hugging him tightly, not replying. Tyler hugged back. He was going to make sure that nothing like that happened again. He hated seeing his wonderful best friend so broken but all he could do right now was be there for him. And there he was.

**Author's Note:**

> Ahh, I hope that wasn't too awful. This is my first fanfiction and I'm crap at writing but I tried. I had this idea in my head and I just had to write it. Again, just based off my own emotions. It just broke my heart watching Joshie like that in the interview.


End file.
